Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 24/00661/B Applicant: Mr M & Mrs V Atherton Proposal: Erection of detached garage / carport Site Address: Cronkbreck House Main Road Greeba Isle Of Man IM4 3LG Planning Officer: Toby Cowell Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.11.2024 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The development hereby approved shall only be used for purposes ancillary to the host dwellinghouse of Cronkbeck House and shall at no point be converted to living accommodation, either in conjunction with the host dwellinghouse or as separate independent living accommodation.

Reason: The application has been purely assessed on the basis of comprising garaging and storage for vehicles. Any change to this use would require further assessment which may be deemed inappropriate in the context of the site's location within the open countryside and an area not zoned for development.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed building is considered to be acceptable in principle in this countryside location and of an appropriate form, mass and design without detriment to the character of the wider locality, in compliance with General Policy 2.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings;

• 1702-1 - Existing and proposed site plans
• 1702-2 - Location and block plans, proposed plans and elevations

Received 14.06.24 _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status None. ___________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises the detached traditional dwellinghouse and associated curtilage of Cronkbeck House, a sizable plot bounded by mature woodland to the east, with a mature tree line extending around the remainder of the site's perimeter. The majority of the site is laid to lawn, with an area of parking and additional hardstanding present to the immediate east of the dwelling, together with an additional area of lawn bounded by hedging immediately to the north bordering the principal highway. - 1.2 The site benefits from dual vehicular access to the north-east off the Peel Road and from the south-west off Kerrowgarrow Road. The site is located directly opposite Cronkbeck Farm to the north on the opposite side of the road, and forms part of largely dispersed residential development extending from Cronkbeck Farm in the west to Greeba Bridge to the east.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the erection of a single detached outbuilding within the curtilage of Cronkbeck Housing for the purposes of vehicular storage and parking for up to 5 vehicles. The building would comprise a dual-pitched hipped roof and includes a series of solar panels on each roof slope, whilst being finished in a combination of timber cladding, painted render and stone slip panelling with slate roof tiles. The building would comprise dimensions of 7m in depth by 16.05m in length, with a maximum ridge height of circa. 4.6m, and be split between a conventional garage with parking for 2 vehicles and an open car port with parking for 3 vehicles. - 2.2 The building would be sited on an area of concrete occupied by 2 sheds to the immediate east of the current parking area.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 Various applications to extend and alter the dwelling have been submitted and approved over the years, however none of which are considered to be of material relevance to this application. - 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The application site is identified on the 1982 Development Plan as 'white land' and therefore within an area of countryside that is not designated for development. The site is not within a Conservation Area or an area of high flood risk.

4.2 The following policies from the 2016 Strategic Plan are considered pertinent in the assessment of this application; Strategic Policy

• 2 Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
• 3 To respect the character of our towns and villages 5 Design and visual impact Spatial Policy

5 Development in the countryside in accordance with General Policy 3 General Policy

• 2 General Development Considerations
• 3 Exceptions to development in the countryside

Environment Policy 1 Protection of the countryside

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 German Parish Commissioners - No objection. (06.08.24) 5.2 Highway Services - No highways interest. (21.06.24)

5.3 Highways Drainage - Allowing surface water runoff onto a public highway would contravene Section 58 of the Highway Act 1986 and guidance contained in section 11.3.11 of the Manual for Manx Roads. Recommendation: The applicant shall demonstrate compliance with the statements above and that no surface water will be discharged onto the highway. (21.06.24) - 5.4 Ecosystems Policy Officer - Though not shown on the existing site plans, aerial photographs show that there is a hedge in the location of the proposed garage. As this application will require the removal of an area of hedge, replacement hedging should be provided as mitigation. The Ecosystem Policy Team therefore recommend that a condition is secured for no works to commence unless a soft landscaping plan has been submitted to Planning and approved in writing. The development should then be undertaken in full compliance with this plan. (04.06.24) - 5.5 Forestry Officer - No response received at the time of writing. - 5.6 Manx Utilities Authority - No response received at the time of writing.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The site falls outside of a defined settlement boundary within the open countryside, is not designated for residential development within the Development Plan and does not technically accord within one of the defined exception criteria outlined in General Policy 3.

6.2 Housing Policies 15 and 16 make provision for the extension to dwellinghouses within the countryside, however no provision is made within the Strategic Plan for the erection of ancillary buildings within the curtilage of established and lawful dwellings. Notwithstanding this however, the general approach of the Department is to support the erection of proportionate ancillary structures, provided they are of an appropriate design, scale and siting, would not result in an adverse impact upon the wider landscape setting, safeguard residential amenity and be clearly ancillary and subordinate in nature and use. It is further noteworthy that the erection of ancillary outbuildings and garages may be permissible under permitted development, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012, which is a strong material planning consideration.

6.3 In this instance, whilst the development proposed would exceed the parameters of that which could be constructed under permitted development, it is clear that the building would be used for purposes ancillary to the host dwelling and of a moderate scale and footprint in the context of the wider curtilage. The principle of development is therefore considered to be acceptable. - 6.4 The design and scale of the proposed building is considered to be modest and in proportion to the host dwelling, whilst clearly to be used for a purpose ancillary to the principal

• property. The resultant structure would be largely shielded from view from outside of the application site due to the presence of mature trees and hedgerows surrounding the plot on all sides, and be in any case of a modest scale so as not to appear unduly prominent within the context of wider landscape views. The external palette of materials is also considered to be acceptable and appropriate in the site's context. The development is therefore deemed to be compliant with General Policy 2 (b) and (c).
• 6.5 No objections have been raised by Highways Services over the proposals, which would not interfere with the site's existing access and driveway, or indeed current parking provision serving the dwelling.
• 6.6 It is noted that the Ecosystems Policy Team consider that replacement hedging should be provided as mitigation for the loss of an area of hedge, which should be secured by way of a landscaping plan being submitted for approval prior to the commencement of development.
• 6.7 The applicant has subsequently responded to these comments by noting that the observed hedging from aerial imagery in question comprises two Rhododendron bushes planted by the applicant to the east of the location of the proposed garage, together with the two surviving hawthorn trees of an old and depleted hedge in a poor condition. The applicant further states that they intend to lift the plants and trees that will be affected by the proposed development and where possible replant them along the eastern boundary of the garden to the south of the proposed garage.
• 6.8 Likewise, the applicant adds that it is also their intention to plant additional hawthorns to the section of hedging to the west between the proposed garage and house, along with bolstering the existing planting to the north of the proposed garage; parallel to the existing driveway with native species such as hawthorn and blackthorn for year-round cover and to promote biodiversity.
• 6.9 On the basis of the above, and in the context of the modest nature of the proposals, it is not considered to be reasonable or proportionate to require the submission of a landscaping plan for approval by way of condition given the minimal loss of landscaping as a result of the development proposals.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed building is considered to be acceptable in principle in this countryside location and of an appropriate form, mass and design without detriment to the character of the wider locality, in compliance with General Policy 2. The application is therefore recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture (DEFA) is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status. _____________________________________________________________________

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 06.11.2024 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner

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